Connection for electric conductors.



PATENTED MAR. 17, 1908.

F. 0. BALL.

CONNECTION FOR ELECTRIC GONDUOTORS.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN.31, 1906.

. UNITD STATEFE PATENTQFFICE.

FREDERICK 0. BALL, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO 1*. ll. BALL, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

CONNECTION FOB, ELEEIRIG CONDUCTORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 17, 1908.

Application filed January 31, 1906. Serial No. 298,736.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK 0. BALL, a citizen of the United .S,tates,-residing at Plainiield, in the county bf Union, State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in a Connection for Electric Conductors, of which the following is a specification.-

This invention relates, to connections for electric conductors, and consists in certain improvements .in the construction thereof as will be hereinafter fully described and pointedout in the claims.

The objects of the invention are to form connections that may be readily applied and which when applied will maintain erfect contact. It is peculiarly adapted or use with electric currents of small volume-and low voltage, as for instance the current developed by the ordinary dry cell.

Heretofore the common practice has been to use a flexible conductor with perforated disks, These are placed on a screw threaded stud on the cells and clamped in place by nuts. Seemingly this large area of contact would form a better connection than a smaller one, but unless care is used in prearing thesurfaces, the naked metal is not brought into contact, and a poor 'connection is the result. Then too where this connection is used with the conditions such as to subject it to jar, the nut isiapt to become current developed from the ordinary dry cell,

.it is more. important-to have a perfect contact than a large area of contact. By inalz ing one of the contact surfacesi'n the term of a thin edge the naked metal may b; into contact with a slight pressure, a is a spring pressed contact these cont o are maintainedunder all conditions of use.

. In fact if the connection is subjected to-jar,

the slight abrasion incident to it along the.

contact surfaces only serves to make the connection more perfect. '1 believe that the cone ditions-for the most desirable comiection for such currents can be best accomplished by attaching to the threaded or serrated stud of the dry cell a spring clamp'presenting a thin edge as a contact surface on'the stud. Under these conditions the thin contact edge of the clamp pressed by the spring will reach the naked metal of the stud and the threads or serrations will not only be efficient in adding to the effect of the thin edge of the clamp 1n perfecting the contact, but also makes the attachment of the clamp more secure.

The invention is illustrated in the acconi 1 the electrodes from which extend the serrated studs c a and 0. 0., the serrations being the usual threads of the studs.

The connection comprises the clamp B preferably formed of spring sheet metal, sufiiciently-thin to make a thin contact edge. As shown this clamp is formed of one piece havin the spring loop 5, conductor plates 1) and the extensions b" which are 0 )OSlD 'lV faced and connect the spring loop and con-. ductor platesand conveying the pressure of the spring to the plates exert an edgewise pressure on the plates. The extensions are preferably, on op osite sides of a plane with. which the axis 0 the stud coincides. conductor plates are prefer-ab] loosened thus im. airing the connection. fi With the small vo nine and voltage of the,

The provided with the erforations b b whic when the sides of t e clam are sprung together are brought into register so that they can be passed onto the studs. Simply releasing the clamp forces the contact surfaces b b into engagement with the stud, and com letes the attachment to the electrode. Tlibse con tact surfaces are only the thickness of the conductor plates, the corners of, which are pressed against beveled sides a of the threads a or on the shar edges of the threads as clearly shown in ig. 4' so that with a clamp that can readily be operated with the fingers, there is sufficient pressure to force the contact surfaces into intimate'contact with the naked metal of the stud. The serrations also make the attachment secure, and any jar to which the connection is subjected only'serves perfect contact.

In the alternative construction shownfin to increase the abrasion, thus maintaining a Figs. 5 and 6 the thin edges of the threads orserratlons a are depended on to cut through 11c Fig. 2, shows a central scc- .flexible conductor at right angles to the studs described as' 'a point. The

rail

any foreign matter on the surface of the con-- ductor plate. In this construction the spring clamp B has the spring loop 6 and oppos- 'ingly faced extensions 5 and b A conductor plate I) prog'ects frornthe extensionand is bent over forming a contact surface 6 which engages the serrated stud (L The conductorp ate 5 projects from the extension 1)? and is turned at the end forming the contact surfacet which is opposed to the suriace'b. While this connection is more desirable than that in common use, the attachment is not as secure as in the preferred construction, and by reason of the plurality serrations in contact greater pressure must be exerted to maintain a perfect contact. 1

I attach the ilexible conduct or (1 prefer-- ably by assing it through the perforation in one o; the extensions and securing the end in the perforation lit in the oppositeextension. I By tfis construction the attachment is stren thened as the attachment at cannot be SiiBjEC'iI-d to a side pull. 'This mode of connection givesan initial direction to the a a This is advantageous Where the space is limited especially Where the batteries are used in series as the flexible conductor can be assed horizontally from one to the other tvit out an uphend.

p I prefer that the line or the bend between the conductor plate and the extension be at right angles to the edge of the extension or in other words that sides. of the plates and extensions lie in the same planes as shovvn, as this construction permits of theaise of a piece of metal having a uniform Width.=

It will be noted that the perforations b are larger than the stud especially the. parts of the stud between the serrations so that the surface does not coincide with the surface on the stud engaged by it, the area of contact being for this reason as'W'ell as those heretofore stated, sosmall that it might properly be I points engaged can therefore heniore readily-lowed into intimate-contact an kept in this relation as they Wear.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a co 'nnection for electric conductors comprising. a thin plate having an opening therein; the edgeoii which is adapted to form electrical contact a contact piece opposing the thin plate; aepring arranged to exert pressure on the tl n plateand contact pieces to press the contac'tsurfaces thereon toward eacn other; electric conductor connected with the "plate.

' 2; A. connection for else-trio conductors comprising'two thin conductor plates, each having an opening therein and contact surfaces along the edges of the Zopenings; a spring exerting pressure on said lates in opposite directions and at right ang es to the eoges forming the contact surfaces to hold acacia said surfaces in spring pressed contact with an electric conductor; and an electric conductor connectedwith one plate.

3. In a connection for electric conductors, the combination ofa thin conductor plate having a contact surface along an exposed edge; a serrated electric. conductor; a spring arran ed to exert an edgewise ressure on. said plate to hold the contact sur ace thereon.

in spring pressed contact with said conduc tor; a contact piece opposing the thin plate and acted on by the spring; and a second electric condiictor'connected with said conductor plate.

4. in a connection for electric conductors the.cornhination of .a thin conductor plate having an opening therein along the edge of- Which is a contact surface' a serrated elec-' having an opening therein along the edge of- Which is a contact surface; a serrated electric conductor arranged in the opening; a s ring arranged to exert pressure on the pate substantially at right angles to the edge of the plate to hold the contact surfaces thereon in spring pressed contact with said conductor; a contact piece opposing the thin plate and acted upon bythe spring and a second electric conductor connected With said conductorplate.

6. A connection for electric conductors comprising two conductor plates each having contact surfaces along an exposed edge thereon; opposin'gly faced extensions on said plates said extensions terminating in a connecting spring loop tending to move said conductor plates in opposite directions and at substantially right angles to the edges forming the contact surfaces to exert spring pressure upon said surfaces; and an electric conductor connected with one of said plates.

7. In a connection for electric conductors, the'combination of a serrated electric con- (l'doCiiOI'; two conductor plates having perforations therein extending over said conductors, said plates having contact surfaces along the edges of the perforations adapted to engage the serrations onsaid conductor; opposingly faced extensions on said plates, said extensions terminating in a connecting spring loop tending to move said conductor plates in. opposite directions and at'substantially right angles to the edges forming the contact surfaces thereon; and a second condoctor connected. to one of said plates.

A connection for electric conductors red cotn 'nising conductor plates; opposingly faced extensions on said conductor dates; a spring acting on said extensions and tending to move said plates relatively to each other to maintain a contact; and an electric conductor passed through one extension and secured to the other.

9. A connection for electric conductors comprising a spring loop formed of sheet metal; opposingly faced extensions on said loop actuated by the spring 100) to maintain a spring pressed cont act; and an electric conductor passed through one extension and secured to the other.

.10. In a connection for electric conductors the combination of a stud; conductor )lates arranged at right angles to the stud; opposingly faced extensions on said plates; a spring acting on said extensions for forcing said conductor plates into contact with the stud, and an electric conductor passed through one of said extensions and secured to the other.

1]. ln connections for electric conductors the combination of a stud, conductor plates tor passed through the extension and secured to the other.

12. in a connection for electric conductors the combination of a serrated stud: a spring clamp having jaws engaging said stud to attach the connector to the stud, one of the jaws being formed of a plate of less thickness than the distance between one serration and another, the edge of the plate forming a contact surface entering between the serrations on the stud and engaging a wall of said serration.

" ing jaws actuated by the clamp to engage and attach themselves to said stud, one of said jaws being disposed at right angles to the stud and being provided with a perforation through which the stud passes, the diameter of the perforation being greater than the diameter of the stud at the point of engagement, the said clamp acting upon the jaw having a perforation to -exert pressure upon the stud in a direction Lsubstantially at right angles to the axis of hestud.

14. In a connection for electric conductors the combination of a conductor stud; two

'thin plates having contact surfaces on the edges thereof opposingly placed on opposite sides of the stud means for yieldingly pressing said contact edges toward each other into engagement with the stud; and a second conductor connected with the plate. I.

15. In a connection for electric conductors comprising two thin plates having opposing contact surfaces on the edges thereof metns for yieldin ly pressing said contact edges toward 08.01 other; and a conditctor.connected with the plate.

16. In a connection for electric conductors the combination -of a conductor stud; a connector comprising a plate providedwitln a contact surface on the edge thereof and\ a contact piece on the opposite side of the stud, said connector being )I'OVltlGtl with a perforation through which t e stud extends; and means for yieldingly pressing said contact surface and said contact )lGCO toward each other into engagement w th the stud; of a conductor connected with said plate. I

17. In a connection for electric conductors the combination of a conductor -stud; a connector comprising a plate provided with a contact surface. on the edge thereof and a contact piece on the opposite side of the stud, said connector being provided with a perforation through which the stud extends; and means for yielding'ly pressing said contact surface and said contact piece toward each other into engagement with the stud; and a conductor permanently attached to said plate.

In testimony thereof 1 have hereunto setmy hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK 0. BALL.

Witnesses W. H. WEAa'r, Cir/is. ll. HALL. 

